A Girl Called Eddy

She has a new Instagram profile and it looks like a new album is coming in September.

Mixed feelings about this. Her debut is one of my desert island discs but the fact it’s 14 years later makes me nervous. Hopefully it won’t be a let down in the way The Avalanches follows up was.

i waited and hoped and waited and hoped. you're concern is reasonable.

wow, this is huge!

yeah, it totally is a real concern. the lure is too strong though, and i very much doubt it will be an Avalanches disaster.

So she was involved in an eponymous album by The Last Detail which sneaked out in September. Pleasant enough in a 'She and Him' type of way, but not earth shattering. https://open.spotify.com/album/5mTpIa8cHVdqgxsqEpBCdH?si=79IRMtAbQACD9u3mNfRftQ

Apparently a proper AGCE album is coming soon according to her instagram feed.

https://darla.com/products/a-girl-called-eddy-been-around

A little more than a year ago we released a very special album from a new project called THE LAST DETAIL, a super group, formed by FUGU and A GIRL CALLED EDDY. Or in other words, Mehdi Zannad and Erin Moran. Just over a year later, here we are releasing an album that many people didn’t ever think would every come, the second A GIRL CALLED EDDY album. While her debut came out in 2004 to much critical acclaim and was produced by Richard Hawley, it has been a while to say the least. But here is “Been Around” and yes, it was definitely worth the wait. Very much worth it.

Throughout her career she has collaborated and provided vocals on projects as varied as Ron Sexsmith (“Exit Strategy Of The Soul”), SUPER FURRY ANIMALS, to French superstar Phillip Katerine’s indie classic “Parlez Vous Anglais, Mr. Katerine?”. Her debut album saw her out on tour supporting acts as diverse as Josh Ritter, Rufus Wainwright, THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH and THE CURE. And with that first record Moran has gathered a rather impressive list of fans: from Jane Birkin, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Tracey Thorn to Robert Smith, Don Henley, Jarvis Cocker and Burt Bacharach to name just a few.

“Been Around” has arrived looking like a classic. Referencing her hero’s from Laura Nyro, and Van Morrison, to Steely Dan and PREFAB SPROUT, she has put together a collection of songs that still sound completely her own. They bring an essence of the past and real heart to the present. To a 21st century desperately in need of this kind of elegance, soul and inspiration, it is welcome indeed. Echo’s of Karen Carpenter and even Jackie DeShannon can be felt in the lead track “Been Around”, brimming with soulful horn sections and background vocalists, it is classic, high-flying soul-pop at its best. “Big Mouth” reminds us of the pristine, fragile sounds she created with Richard Hawley on her debut, a dialogue of light and shade. Those dialogues are the stars of an album that consciously aims toward the light and to contrasts. “Jody” is a fine example of this. A goodbye to one of her best and oldest friends, it’s a song thats bursting with life while grieving over death, all wrapped up in an evocative New York City narrative to boot. “Lucky Jack (20-1)”, an ode to her philandering but lovable father and the unpredictability of being the child of an alcoholic.

“Charity Shop Window” a collaboration with one of Moran’s hero’s, the Oscar wining songwriter Paul Williams (“We’ve Only Just Begun”, “The Rainbow Connection”) is a song sounding like a cross between a Tom Waits, Burt Bacharach and THE BEACH BOYS tune all at once. Sublime. “Someone’s Gonna Break Your Heart” as Moran admits is a direct homage to Queen Chrissie Hynde for all the inspiration she has brought to her. “Not That Sentimental Anymore” might be the most lyrical piece on the album. A point of reflection about the passing of time, growing older and disenchantment with life, with the gigantic lines: “Think I’m turning into stone... I’ve become the Berlin Wall”. “Two Hearts”, a blistering radio-ready pop song with a hint of ELO and brit-pop. “Come To The Palisades!” a teen-age reminiscing of New Jersey amusement parks, summers, beer and love... Moran's lyrics are at their best in songs like “Finest Actor” with “There could've been moments, but they were just scenes” and the Josh Rouse-like “NY Man”.

The arrangements on this album work on a different level to Morans debut. Where that album was steeped in dark melancholy, this record seems to bathe in the warm yellow Kodachrome-glow of the best of the 1970’s. A looking back, but not pastiche. A sense of genuineness and heart permeates every track. This is an album so full of detail and wonder that we could go on and on.

But we are here just to say that we feel this record can be listened to from so many angles, so many points of view. This is record for everyone. Produced with Grammy winning Daniel Tashian (Kacey Musgraves), Erin and Daniel have created something truly special together. Tracked mainly in Nashville, the list of guest appearances reads like a who’s-who of the best of music city: THE WATSON TWINS (Jenny Lewis), Victor Krauss, Jim Hoke and many others all make appearances.

“Been Around” is an enormous record. Made with love. Made the old-fashioned way. Perhaps thats where its timelessness comes from. Is reaching this exceptional and rich level of composition and emotion justification for such a long silence from A GIRL CALLED EDDY? Is that a question even worth asking? You haven't heard an album like this in fifteen years. She’s back. Dig in and enjoy.

*fingers crossed*

So goddamn stoked

Awesome. But the release date isn't until January 2020? Ah well, I suppose that's just a fraction of the time that's passed since her debut.

somehow i totally missed “the last detail” collab, even after responding above. I enjoy it a lot, but my anticipation is high enough to sway my eval. At least i got a couple weeks to enjoy it before the new one goes.

IT'S FINALLY HERE

This is sooooo good.

all out arch-pop and nicely done is my simple first reaction, and the voice remains wonderful. still trying to figure out what’s in the songs.

Listening to this now. Digging the Steely Dan key changes during “Jody.”

and the Pretenders moves on “Someone’s Gonna Break Your Heart.”

Was worried I was going to miss the exact production of the first album, but thankfully that doesn’t seem to be happening.

Its weird having both this and The Last Detail album shuffled. While they are produced in identifiably different styles, they are a sorta wonderful retro interplay.

wait what

so many great moments on this

Wow, so this came out this year? Seems like an eternity has passed.

Favorite so far of what I've heard this year.